Melbourne is a city full of beauty, great people, and tons of things to do. However, if you’re in the city, you’d be remiss to not take up the opportunity to cruise along the Great Ocean Road.
It’s one of the best places for breathtaking coastal views, spotting all kinds of local flora and fauna, and plenty of charming seaside towns along the way. I highly recommend instead of driving yourself, going on a tour so you can sit back and soak it all in.
I’ve gone ahead and carefully curated a guide to the 7 top Great Ocean Road tours from Melbourne, that are all worth the time and money. Let’s get started!
Best Great Ocean Road Tours
| Great Ocean Road Small-Group Ecotour from Melbourne | Private Great Ocean Road Day Trip from Melbourne | Great Ocean Road Sunset Tour from Melbourne | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Location: | Hotel pickup and drop-off included | Hotel pickup and drop-off included | Hotel pickup and drop-off included |
| Start: | 7:00 AM | 8:00 or 9:00 AM | 9:00 or 10:00 AM |
| Duration: | 14 hours | 10 to 14 hours | 10 to 12 hours |
| Includes: | Coffee and/or Tea, Guide, Park fees, WiFi on board, Air-conditioned vehicle | Private tour, all transportation, Customizable itinerary | Guide, Air-conditioned vehicle, WiFi on board, All Fees and Taxes |
Quick Answer: The 7 Best Rated Great Ocean Road Tours For 2025
- Great Ocean Road Small-Group Ecotour from Melbourne
- Private Great Ocean Road Day Trip from Melbourne
- Great Ocean Road Sunset Tour from Melbourne
- Small-Group Great Ocean Road Day Trip from Melbourne
- Great Ocean Road Reverse Itinerary PREMIUM Tour
- Great Ocean Road Tour Plus Koalas, Forest Walk and Morning Tea
- Great Ocean Road Reverse Itinerary Boutique Small Group Tour
Great Ocean Road Tours from Melbourne Reviews
1. Great Ocean Road Small-Group Ecotour from Melbourne
- Duration: 14 hours
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off included
- Departure Time: 7:00 AM
- Includes: Coffee and/or Tea, Friendly & Informative Guide, National Park fees, WiFi on board, Air-conditioned vehicle
Australia is an absolutely massive country that I greatly underestimated the first time I came over. With that, comes plenty of opportunity for long road trips and scenic drives, but one of the most phenomenal is undoubtedly the Great Ocean Road.
If you’d like to take full advantage of this unforgettable journey, the Great Ocean Road Small-Group Ecotour from Melbourne tour should be at the top of your list!
Starting off at 7 in the morning, the guide came right to our hotel lobby to pick us up in a comfy, air-conditioned vehicle! As we set out from Melbourne, our guide did a great job at regaling us with interesting anecdotes and interesting geological facts along our journey.
Our little group setting was really fun and the perfect size for participating without feeling like we were lost in a crowd.
The first “stop” on the road was in Torquay – a charming surf town filled with laidback residents, beautiful surf, and more – which I absolutely fell in love with!
We stopped at a cool beachside spot for a relaxing stroll before heading through various little port towns before arriving at Great Otway National Park! This park is known for being very “Australian” as it has koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, glow worms, and so many other cool critters!
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We journeyed on to Port Campbell National Park, which really blew my socks off with the Twelve Apostles’ enormous limestone pillars that emerge from the depths of the ocean!
There’s no shortage of stunning cliffside views, and as we looked out over the sea, our guide told us about the history of shipwrecks on the rugged landscape below.
There’s no way you can forget a tip to the famous Gibson’s Steps located just a couple minutes from the pillars, offering an amazing example of erosion over the ages.
With a tasty dinner on the way back, along with onboard wifi, you can be prepared for a relaxed journey back to Melbourne!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
2. Private Great Ocean Road Day Trip from Melbourne
- Duration: 10 to 14 hours
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off included
- Departure Time: 8:00 or 9:00 AM
- Includes: Private tour, all transportation
If you’re looking for the opportunity to explore the stunning stretch of coastline at your own pace without having to drive yourself, I have just the tour for you!
The Private Great Ocean Road Day Trip from Melbourne tour will take literally just you and the rest of your private party on a leisurely drive with a knowledgeable guide to lead the way.
However, this is far from a cookie-cutter tour with memorized scripts – it’s a completely customizable experience tailored to your interests, leaving out the rest.
This private tour allows for groups of up to 10 participants, making it perfect for entire families or groups of friends who just want to have fun while seeing some incredible places!
Starting things off, you’ll be picked up right from your hotel – I appreciated that they offered some different start times to work best with our schedule. With an on-time, attentive, friendly guide, we had a fantastic time right from the very get-go!
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What I absolutely loved about this tour was that it didn’t just take us to the top destinations – it took us to incredible hidden gems that only locals would really know about. It just goes to show that you can take two tours of the same area, yet have a completely different experience!
We started out by stopping at a deserted beach to explore the local flora and fauna, along with a stunning national park that shelters animals!
One of the highlights for me was the journey to Split Point Lighthouse, which is a stunning oceanside spot where the Pacific and Indian Oceans meet – perfect for photo ops!
We then sat down for a delicious local seafood lunch in the charming little town of Apollo Bay before continuing on to the rainforest and the 12 Apostles! Of course, this tour will vary a bit each time, but you can count on a memorable, fun time with amazing people!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
3. Great Ocean Road Sunset Tour from Melbourne
- Duration: 10 to 12 hours
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off included
- Departure Time: 9:00 or 10:00 AM
- Includes: Friendly & Informative Tour Guide, Air-conditioned vehicle, WiFi on board, All Fees and Taxes
Victoria is a state that’s full of natural wonder and thriving cities, but if you want to go on a tour that many visitors don’t get the chance to see, check this one out.
The Great Ocean Road Sunset Tour from Melbourne is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the metropolis while learning all about the geology and history of the surrounding seaside towns.
If you’re a nature person or a history buff, don’t hesitate to add this one to your itinerary, because you’re going to learn and see a lot of that!
This full-day tour starts off early in the morning to take full advantage of the day, and they did come right to our hotel to pick us up in a comfy, spacious coach!
The coach came with big windows for prime viewing as we cruised along the scenic oceanside, along with wifi so we could share photos and videos in real-time!
We headed out over the Westgate Bridge that offered amazing views of the city and port, offering some fantastic foreshadowing of what was to come.
On our way to Surf Coast, we passed the beautiful city of Geelong, which we ended up choosing to visit later on thanks to this tour!
We then stopped at Anglesea, where we took a little break to stretch our legs and take photos of the amazing views along the river before heading back on the road. We then made a few more detours to various towns, including a jaw-dropping stop at Eastern View before stopping for lunch!
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The lunch in Kennet River was hearty and absolutely delicious – exactly what I’d expect from Australian fare! We then had a great time digesting with a relaxing, educational walk through a wilderness refuge where we learned about how important the eucalyptus trees are to koalas!
We got to see the furry little guys up close, which was obviously a great, quintessential “Australian” experience I got to check off my list!
After we got in some fresh air, we made our way back to the coach and onto the Otway Ranges to the Shipwreck Coast and the magnificent Port Campbell National Park.
The rock formations out there are absolutely insane, and hearing about the shipwreck at Loch Ard in the late 1800s was also quite sobering. We finished it up with a stunning sunset, with the glowing pinks and golds enveloping the captivating rock formations towering before us.
